Target and KaBOOM! Launch Four-City Play Everywhere Tour to Increase Active Play for Kids

Play Everywhere Challenge winners to be announced at each Tour stop in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami for creative design ideas that make play the easy choice for families

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 16, 2018) —

KaBOOM!, the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play, and Target will kick-off the Play Everywhere Tour where kids and families will come together for a free, fun-filled family play day and learn how they can incorporate play into everyday life and in unexpected places. As part of the Tour, the Play Everywhere Challenge winners will be announced, awarding $720,000 in total grants for creative projects that encourage play in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami.

The Play Everywhere Tour will take place at the following locations:

Dallas, TX – Kiest Park on Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Houston, TX – Moody Park on Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Atlanta, GA – Washington Park on Mar. 3 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Miami, FL – Shenandoah Park on Mar. 10 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Tour will give thousands of families and kids a chance to learn about and experience the benefits of active play through a full day of engaging activities, music and more. Each Tour stop will feature:

A family friendly play obstacle course

Creative design activities to help attendees imagine how neighborhoods could be more playful

Open play areas featuring innovative play products

Workouts led by fitness influencer and celebrity trainer, Massy Arias

Live entertainment from well-known, local music and dance performers

Special interactive family-friendly activity led by the United States Soccer Foundation

Music, food and prizes for all attendees

The Play Everywhere Challenge is a call for ideas designed to help uncover the best replicable, scalable innovations in city and design that will make play easy, available and fun for all kids and families. It is an opportunity to reimagine what and where a playspace is and can be, helping to incorporate play into the daily lives of kids – on sidewalks, in vacant lots, at bus stops, in open streets and beyond. KaBOOM! and Target will grant a total of $720,000 to local Challenge winners in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami to make play the easy choice for families.

The well-being of communities starts with the well-being of kids, and play is critical to their physical, cognitive, creative, social and emotional development. Research confirms that when kids play, they grow up more healthy, resilient and ready for life. It's how kids learn how to problem-solve, resolve conflicts and build relationships, all necessary developmental skills they need to succeed as adults.

However, far too many are missing out on the chance to play because of lack of time and lack of playspaces in their communities. Many kids, especially in low-income communities, spend a lot of time commuting and running errands with parents or caregivers, losing valuable play time to wait at bus stops or make trips to the laundromat. Through the Play Everywhere Tour, families and kids will be able to engage in a fun-filled play day where they will be encouraged to incorporate play into their daily schedules to help kids get the active play they need to thrive. Through the Play Everywhere Challenge, winners will design installations that will exist beyond the event day, helping to increase lasting opportunities for play in these communities.

"We all agree that play is critical to developing happy, healthy and resilient kids,” said James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!. “Places to play serve as essential anchors in communities that value and nurture kids and families, and through the Play Everywhere Challenge, grantees help make play possible even during unexpected, everyday activities for kids who need it most. We are grateful to our partner Target and their support of the Play Everywhere Challenge and Tour that will help kids get the childhood they deserve through play."

The Play Everywhere Challenge and Tour are part of a broader effort led by KaBOOM! and Target focused on engaging communities to help families make active play a part of everyday life. By the end of the year, KaBOOM! and Target will bring more than 260 new playspaces to life, reaching more than a half-million kids across the country.

About KaBOOM! KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – especially those living in poverty – the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. KaBOOM! inspires communities to make play the easy choice and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of PLAYces. KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build or restore more than 17,000 playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million volunteers and served over 9 million kids. To learn why play matters for all kids, visit kaboom.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom, facebook.com/kaboom, and instagram.com/kaboom. #playmatters #PLAYceforKids